ICS EXCLUSIVE

INTERVIEW!!!
CONVERSATION WITH
VERA GUSEVA
by Tim Janof
This brief interview is with Daniil Shafran's step-daughter, Vera, through email.
Daniil Shafran (1923-1997) was one of the great Russian cellists. He began
playing cello at the age of 6. Subsequently he continued his studies with
professor Alexander Shtrimer (1888-1961) in a special music school for
children at the age of 8. He won first prize at the USSR All Union Competition
at the age of 14. At the time, he was below the age limit but the competition
committee approved his entry. He was given the Antonio Amati cello made in
1630 as a prize. He used this instrument ever since for all his career as a
concert cellist. The second cello concerto of Kabalevsky was dedicated to
him. He recorded the cello sonata of Shostakovkich with the composer
himself.
TJ: What was Daniil like as a person?
VS: He always was even-tempered, quiet, and practically never entered into a
conflict. If he felt that a person was unpleasant, he simply ceased to talk with
that person.
He tried not to let his professional life affect his family life. The exceptions to
this were when there were concerts in the evening. He would get very nervous
before performances and he became very withdrawn the day of the concert,
barely saying a word. The family accepted this as the sacred torment of his
creativity.
One might also describe him as a epitome of the classic Russian intellectual.
He was highly educated, very humble, and willing to sacrifice his career for
principles that he held high. When he was chairman of the jury in the
Tchaikovsky Competition, for example, he felt his primary role was to do his
best to ensure a fair competition. He always looked at a contestant's musical

qualities and talent instead of which teacher he or she studied with, or which
person the Communist Party wanted to win. It is because of Daniil that an
American cellist, Nathaniel Rosen, was awarded the Gold Medal in 1976,
which created quite a sensation in Russia.
What were his practice sessions like?
He practiced five or six hours every day, constantly changing fingerings and
trying to find just the right sound.
Was there a rivalry between your father and Rostropovich?
There are no stories that I am aware of about Daniil and Mr. Rostropovich's
relationship. I do not recall this subject ever being discussed in our family
either. In official interviews, Daniil always described Rostropovich as a
genius, as well as a very good cellist and conductor. Daniil or my mother
always sent telegrams to Mr. Rostropovich on the latter's birthday. This
gesture was never reciprocated, however. And our family did not hear from
Rostropovich or his wife when Daniil died, even though they were in Moscow
at that time.
Did the Soviet government treat Daniil differently than Rostropovich?
Rostropovich had many opportunities to play when he was in Russia and he
was very well supported by the Soviet government. He played in many
venues: in the fields of collective farmers, at the Moscow Conservatory, and
with various orchestras. He also taught at the Moscow Conservatory and in
Leningrad. His career was flourishing.
Daniil also had a good career in Russia, but he wasn't supported to the same
degree. For example, there were no press announcements of his last concert at
the Moscow Conservatory in 1993 and the hall was only half filled. The
concert was not reviewed either. He preferred to play in other cities, such as
St. Petersburg or abroad, where he was treated with more respect.
Why was he not honored by the 'establishment' when he died, not even with
a headstone for his grave? He was a historically significant cellist and he
certainly deserved more recognition that he received.
His headstone was my arduous task to contend with. After Daniil's death we
received some telephone calls and letters asking if we would like to sell
Daniil's 'Amati' cello. This was unnerving because it is dangerous to be rich in
Russia because of the Russian Mafia. We were afraid both to sell the cello and
have a large sum of money in our hands, and we were afraid to keep the
valuable cello in our home. We decided to donate it to the State Museum of
Musical Culture instead. In retrospect, this was a mistake because the

instrument isn't played; we should have given it to the State Musical

Collection instead. Anyway, the director of the Museum promised to honor
Daniil with a monument. We heard this promise repeatedly for three years; he
kept claiming that the delay was due to the financial situation in Russia. We
finally gave up. Then Steven Isserlis, Daniil's and my close friend, decided to
help with a headstone. Steven managed a Fund named 'The Daniil Shafran
Memorial Fund' in London and wrote to some musical magazines to promote
it. At the same time my friends in Russia helped me to do a scandal piece on
Russian TV and we received many supportive calls. A director of a large stone
factory ended up donating a headstone, and I used the money from the fund
instead to publish a book about Daniil, called Daniil Shafran - cello solo,
which is only printed in Russian at the moment.
What was Daniil's musical approach based on? Some consider his playing
to be idiosyncratic.
Daniil was a Romantic and saw himself as a creator when he played, in a
sense. He felt it was his duty to be a transmitter of a composer's personal
message, but he embraced the notion that the music could not help but be
filtered through his own soul. He carefully studied the text and did his best to
understand what the composer wanted, but he also gave himself permission to
be a free-thinking and feeling artist. I suggest your readers check out his
recording of the ProkofievSymphony Concerto (Sinfonia Concertante), which
is now available at Cello Classics, as well as his recording of encore pieces on
the Aulos and Yedang labels. These are wonderful examples of his playing.
Also seek out a recording of his Shostakovich and 'Arpeggione' Sonatas; he
played them throughout his career and few can play them with his unique
combination of freedom, tragedy, and intensity.
There is a recent release of a recording of the first Shostakovich Concerto by
Regis Records. Given that Daniil never learned that piece, and given that it
doesn't sound like him at all, I suggest people stay away from this recording.
Daniil's style certainly evolved over the years. As he grew older, his playing
became more and more personal. He simply ceased to care what others
thought and he played exactly how he wanted to without fear of being judged.
Some people criticized him because they felt he didn't project well in large
halls, and this used to really bother him. It wasn't until when he was in his late
70's that he stopped being afraid of playing quietly. He knew that he played
with great nuance: vibratos ranging from nothing, to a slight shimmer, to
wide, and with various shades of dynamics, including piano, pianissimo, and
pianississimo. He finally stopped worrying about whether he was audible and
just followed his musical instincts, including whispering with his cello.

Daniil continued to be deeply interested in playing and learning new music

right up until his death. He loved to explore lesser known works and thanked
God that others were given the opportunity to hear these works in his recitals.
Everyone who listened to him play and who understood him as a person
realized that he had a unique insight into music. I feel confident that his
legacy will endure.
September 2003